Pedestrians Don`t Always Possess The Right Of Way

Harry Berlin of Kings Point says he`s fed up with trying to dodge cars while walking across Carter Road from the Carteret Bank on the east side to the Kings Point Shopping Center on the west.

``As a matter of fact,`` he said, ``the vehicles increase their speed so that they pass the crosswalk before the pedestrians take a few steps.``

He asks if it is mandatory for vehicles to give the right of way in a crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to get across the street.

It depends on where the crosswalk is, says Sgt. Max Shell of the Florida Highway Patrol.

If there is a traffic signal or stop sign that would force vehicles to stop anyway, they must yield the right of way to crossing pedestrians, Shell said. Otherwise, the vehicle has the right of way.

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Two new signals west of Boca Raton are scheduled to be turned on this week, according to Charles Cantrell of Palm Beach County`s Traffic Division.

Activation of signals at Boca West Drive and Powerline Road as well as Town Center Drive and Military Trail will depend on when electricity is connected by Florida Power & Light Co., Cantrell said.

In addition, another signal in the northern part of the county, at Keating Drive and Northlake Boulevard just west of Interstate 95, is scheduled to be turned on within the next couple of weeks, he said.

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More progress has been made on traffic signal studies at Boca Pointe Drive and Powerline Road, Cantrell said, and prospects are that a signal could be approved.

But, since that part of Powerline was turned over to the state, a signal must receive DOT blessings before it can be installed, he said. Completed county studies are being forwarded to the DOT district office in Fort Lauderdale.

County traffic studies show a signal is warranted, Cantrell said, but there could be a problem in receiving state approval.

``Our counts showed an awful lot of right turns at that intersection,`` he said, ``and the state often does not count right turns when there is a (separate) right-turn lane. It will be up to them to make the decision.``

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Another intersection study in the area, however, did not turn out the same way, Cantrell said.

Counts at Southwest 18th Street and Military Trail showed there is still not enough traffic to warrant converting the present flashing yellow to a full signal.

While counts on Military Trail, considered the cross street at this intersection, did meet minimum requirements, Cantrell said the main street, Southwest 18th Street, ``didn`t even come close. They are way below what is necessary.``

The street would require counts of 900 vehicles per hour to meet those requirements, he said, but the counts ranged from 628 per hour to a low of 378.

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Work continues on the Hillsboro Canal Bridge over Florida`s Turnpike, according to DOT local construction coordinator Roy Pytel, as well as work on the I-95 bridge over Beeline Highway in the north county.